Art Under Attack: Are Climate Activists Barking Up The Wrong Tree?
barking up the wrong tree: looking for solutions in the wrong place or directing efforts toward the wrong target
On Saturday, a climate activist was arrested after putting a poster over a famous Monet painting and gluing her hand to the museum wall. The poster showed an apocalyptic future if we do not stop climate change.
The activist is a member of a French group protesting climate change by targeting famous artworks. In January, members of this group threw soup at the Mona Lisa. In February, they targeted another Monet painting.
The Monet painting was not harmed, but the incident has raised questions about the actions of climate activists. Many believe that targeting artworks is barking up the wrong tree.
The activist group says, “We love art, but future artists will have nothing to paint on a burning planet.”
Sample sentences
1. Asking Tom for a loan is barking up the wrong tree; he’s also struggling with money.
2. She thought her manager could promote her to a higher position, but she was barking up the wrong tree. She needed to talk to the owner.
3. If you think the IT department can help with this issue, you’re barking up the wrong tree. You should contact customer service.
Origin
The expression “barking up the wrong tree” was first used in the 1800s when American hunters used dogs to help them hunt raccoons. When a raccoon tried to escape up a tree, the dog waited at the bottom until the hunter arrived. But sometimes, the dog barked up the wrong tree, and the hunter couldn’t find the raccoon.
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Climate Activist Vandalizes a Monet With an Apocalyptic Image
